To think some people must be totally oblivious to the fact that there are other people in the world too?

[chandlerbing]

Either that or they are totally selfish, thoughtless arseholes!

I seem to keep coming across people that think the world revolves around them.

A couple of days ago I went into town and parked in a pay-and-display car park, which has only one ticket machine. I went to the machine to get a ticket and there was a thirtysomething woman already at the machine. She took quite a while fiddling around with the machine, which is fair enough as they are quite complicated (you have to put in car reg etc first). However she then took out her phone, called someone, presumably her partner and asked whether or not he/she wanted a '1 hour, 2 hour or 3+ hours ticket'. She then went into a complete conversation with them, saying which shops she wanted to go in, that she had to take such-and-such back to Debenhams. She must have chatted for 3 or so minutes, all the time standing right at the machine with her hands on it like she was using it. She came off the phone, looked round and saw me but didn't apologise for holding me up or keeping me waiting, and then took ages actually getting her ticket.

Yesterday I took my DCs to a café/restaurant chain. About midway through our lunch, three adults came and sat at the table next to us. The tables are very close together and along one side there was just one long bench-style seat. Two other adults, that presumably they knew, walked over to chat and stood between our table and theirs, with their backs to our table, chatting for about 20 minutes. During that time, DD got up to go to the loo and squeezed past them and they just looked at her, as if she'd inconvenienced them. After a while the 2 extra adults went back to their table and the waiter went over to ask the table next to us what they'd like to order. They then took a further 20 minutes, waiter stood at their table, discussing what they wanted to eat, did they want X or Y, changing their minds etc.

During the 20 minutes he was stood at their table I wanted to pay but obviously I couldn't pay him as he was with them. So I went up to the counter and asked for my bill but apparently only my waiter could deal with me, so I had no choice but to sit there for another 10 minutes or so whilst they faffed around, changed their minds and asked questions. It was as if they were the only people in the world! And it's not like it was a gourmet restaurant or something where the food was going to be really complicated and needed explaining to them.

Grrrrrrr!

I like to think these types of people are just oblivious rather than awful people.

But it's so frustrating when you're busy and are rushing ,on a time limit,which,lets face it,most of us are.

I've had someone (part of the beige zombie brigade that stalk m&s) push my pram containing toddler out of the way of the fridge bit in Marks and Spencer. I had my hands on the pram and a newborn in a sling.
Another bugbear of mine are couples (both in beige polyester) in the underwear aisle. Woman is browsing knickers whilst bloke stood in the way looking gormless and/or pervy whilst I need to get past him to get to a bra. Just either a) go for a fucking brew, b) actually help your wife chose some beige trollies or c) go and do some shopping for yourself. Just don't get in my way making me feel uncomfortable whilst you're hovering arount the Rosie Huntington-Whitley nipple tassle display like a fucking haunted spector in faun.

I agree with the first poster

Life will always be like this for you until you learn to say 'excuse me' in a firm but polite tone.

I am trying not to shout in big fat fucking capitals here but:

Shopping trollies DIAGONAL across the shopping aisle preventing ANYONE from passing while the owner browses the cheese in the fridges.

Them folk who don't put the little bar up after they have put their shopping on the belt then stand in your way preventing you from reaching the bar and putting your shopping on.

Just FUCK THE FUCK OFF Will you.

And breath.....

I know what you mean.

But if you assert yourself you will feel better.

I'm loving this thread.

My contribution: I was at Streatham cinema once and in the middle of the film, someone's mobile went off really loudly. Yes, that can happen, but he TOOK the call, staying in his seat...and made very little attempt to speak quietly or hurry the call along either by the sounds of it, too.

Can we coin a MN name for this group of people? The oblivious crew or something?

parakeet

I'd say something to someone like that. I wouldn't be able to stop myself. Not saying something is bad for the blood pressure

I was queuing with DD to buy lunch at a cafe yesterday. We had everything and were just waiting to pay.

A lady came racing up, barged DD out of the way and started wailing about how she shouldn't have to queue because she only wanted to pay for a sandwich. The cashier pointed out that everyone else was too. She carried on wailing and whining while DD looked a bit surprised at all the carry on.

Thr lady would have been much quicker just joining the queue but the whole thing seemed really bizarre - that everyone else should move so she could queue jump to get her sandwich.

Buggies on London buses. I don't drive a tank buggy, it'll fit nicely next to anything apart from a wide double. But twice today I had an awkward shuffle as the buggy owner already on wouldn't move theirs away from the seats. Both with sleeping children, both going further than me. So awkward shuffle round standing passengers to get on, awkward shuffle to get off. First time it's ever been an issue, people generally budge up to let the second on. The second was complicated by a standing woman who said she couldn't sit but didn't want to vacate the wheelchair buggy bit. I didn't mind her continuing to stand next to the buggy but getting her to realise she had to give some ground whilst wrestling round the first buggy was an unnecessary complication. Sigh sigh. I attempted both times to be smiley and helpful but to no avail, hit a wall of passive aggression.

I was ranting about this at the weekend. I was trying to get down a busy pavement with buggy, doing my best to get out of peoples way. However people coming the other way just had to walk side by side 3 abreast so at one point I got stuck, (caught front wheel on bollard trying to get as far to the side as I could out if the way. At this point someone tapped me on the shoulder told me to go stand over there where I wouldn't be a nuisance to everyone. Spent next 20min wedged between a bin and the back of a stall as no one would let me back out. Felt like crying, couldn't get where I was going and felt so humiliated and guilty that I'd been a nuisance to everyone by putting my needs first.

Spent the rest of the weekend end ranting that everyone else put themselves first without an ounce of guilt and the three abreasters should feel guilty too. So now feel more guilty for being more selfish and nasty.

oh don't get me started. I was only in Tesco today, wanting to speak with customer services. I walked up to the desk, no one was waiting just me with two members of staff behind the desk doing something or other. I waited a few mins to be served when a women walked up to the desk in front of me put all her vouchers etc down on the desk and only got fucked served straight away! So I said "oh yes I'm just stood here for the fun of it don't mind me" she carried on anyway... but I did notice that the Tesco lady was very dismissive and unhelpful to her and very helpful to me.

would it have killed to check if im being served?

Oh and when in shops when you let another person go in front/pass but rather than keep moving they stop dead in front of you so you cant move passed them. er... I'll just stand here looking at you while you read that label shall I?

I had a petrol station one the other week that infuriated me.

I pulled up behind a women filling her tyres with air. She finished then got back into her car and had a 5 minute phone conversation. There is not a chance she didn't know I was waiting. As if that wasn't enough, after she finished on the phone she got out of the car and went into the shop!

By this point I'd had enough and pulled alongside her car effectively blocking her in and filled my tyres. She then had to wait for me.

I was in a shop close to Christmas and as you would expect pretty busy. There was a queue at the checkout of about 4 people in front of me and 2 or 3 behind me all standing patiently waiting their turn and a young 20 something woman waltzed up and tried to squeeze herself in between myself and the man in front.

I said "Excuse me there's a queue here."
She responded "Yes I was in the queue but just wanted to look over there" and pointed half way down the aisle, whilst still trying to squeeze herself in.
I refused to budge and responded well clearly you weren't in the queue if you were over there, there are people waiting, The end of the queue is that way.

Upon realising that the whole queue had turned to listen She stomped off with a red face muttering under her breath " But I was in the queue!!"

No I don't think so lady!!!!

Oh yes, those people.

I was out cycling at the weekend and there was a parent cycling two-abreast with their child (prob about 12) on one of Edinburgh's main cycle routes. DP pings bell, I shouted excuse me to no avail. The father saw us and proceeded to take up more space so I eventually had to circle round him, on long grass, on a road bike. (I didn't expect the kid to move, but the father could've accelerated forward in front of the kid to let us pass surely!?)

Mind you on the same day, DP got a bottle thrown at him by a woman who I had thanked for pulling her dog in to let us pass (single file), on a cycle path. That wash't inconsiderate though, that was just plain rude

I had to 'excuse me' very loudly in London when a woman in Boots was quite insistent that the pharmacist should give her her flu jab immediately. This being despite the fact that (a) I was being served, (b) there were people behind me, (c) it's by appointment and finally (d) they didn't even do it in that fucking store. She went off on a stomp about customer service...

'Excuse me' can only go so far though Worra if the people you are talking to are ignoring you.

I said it twice to two women who were in front of me on an escalator. They'd put their bags down between them so no one could get past without pushing past and walking over them. Twice they ignored my polite requests to get past, so as I had work to get to I did step over and continue on my way.

They then decided I was rude and made some pointed a loud comments about 'the youth of today'! I did turn and say just as loudly that I can only ask politely so many times before I simply have to be on my way, which shut them up.

This was about 13 years ago, you can tell it bugged me!

I think I've got some kind of rage issue at the moment. In a matter if one hour I had a couple canoodling while I was sitting waiting for them to finish at the petrol pump, I had to reverse out and go to another, then an arsehole wouldn't pull forward so that I could exit the petrol station. There was no one in front of him and he flat ignored me gently beeping so as to alert him I was trying to pull out. Then on the motorway a guy sat in the middle lane while texting on his phone and I had to sit behind him for ages because I couldn't get into the bloody fast lane!!!! I was enraged!!!!!! Can you tell :)

I understand the annoyance but this woman didn't know that someone else wanted to use the machine. One act which could be seen as selfish doesn't make a person a selfish person.

I cannot abide people who behave as if you're invisible. E.g you move aside to let someone past, etc and the person just behaves like you don't exist - no smile, no eye contact, definitely no "thankyou". Or you let someone into a lane when driving, no wave, nothing. Or.... I could go on. It.Drives.Me.Insane.

Love this thread. I get ranty when I am packing away my shopping but when I then go to pay the person behind me is standing right by the machine and looks shocked when asked to move. Tell you what shall I just give you my card and pin and you can pay for me?????

And commuters who when asked to move down the packed carriage look shocked and shuffle an inch along. I really get mad at that.

People who invade your personal space when queuing. I inch forward to free up a bit of space. Low and ducking behold they're on top of you again! Grrrrr. I bloody hate that!

People who walk towards me two abreast when I'm running on a narrow pavement near me. I generally comment or just barge past. I mean, they can see me! Do they think I will jump over them?

And arseholes who park where they shouldn't because they're just going to be a minute, or just picking up their child. You're holding everyome up ffs! And then they pull out and expect everyone to wait while they do a nine point turn in a busy road.

Today I was waiting at a T-Juction there were maybe 7-8 cars ahead of me.
A builders van (with their company name on it) drove up the right side (on the other lane) nearly colliding with a car turning down the road I was on, turned left and onto the main road , then along the centre until they cut in

Obviously we are all just waiting for no reason

I agree conkercon. I always ask them if they are going to pay for my shopping and when they say No, I ask them to move back then and let me pay.

Yes! So annoying. I have 3 words: middle lane hogs.